Posting Language
Title
Ratify a contract for animal sterilization and wellness services for the Animal Services Department with Humane Society of Austin & Travis Co., Inc. d/b/a Austin Humane Society, in the amount of $45,000 and authorize an amendment for continued services in the amount of $180,000 for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $1,035,000. Funding: $1,035,000 is available in the Animal Services Department’s Operating Budget.
Body
Lead Department
Financial Services Department.
Client Department(s)
Animal Services Department.
Fiscal Note
Funding is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Operating Budget of Animal Services Department.
Purchasing Language:
Ratification.
MBE/WBE:
This contract was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2-9B Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program. For the services required for this procurement, there were no subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established.
Prior Council Action:
July 29, 2020 - Council approved a contract for animal sterilization and wellness services with Humane Society of Austin & Travis Co., Inc. dba Austin Humane Society.
For More Information:
Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to the Financial Services Department - Central Procurement at: FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500.
Additional Backup Information:
The contract provides sterilization and wellness services to community cats without identified owners as mandated by the Council adoption of the No Kill Implementation Plan. The Austin Humane Society is an experienced organization providing these services at the volume the City’s program requires. Their medical clinic can accommodate a high volume of approximately 60 cat surgeries per day. Private veterinarian clinics do not have the capacity or feral cat handling experience required for this program.
Expenditures which exceeded the contract’s authority in Fiscal Year 2024-2025 were made to ensure program continuity. Contract services required by the City have exceeded the estimated amount originally approved by Council in 2020. Under the contract the cost of medicines, materials, and labor have all had increases which has in turn increased the price to the City for each surgery performed. City staff are in the process of sourcing a replacement contract, as the current contract is scheduled to expire in August 2025. Additional authority is needed on the contract to ensure that the services provided by the Austin Humane Society can continue until a new contract is in place.
The Austin Humane Society has been operating as the feral cat sterilization clinic in Austin since 2007 and has provided services to more than 50,000 cats. Their clinic staff are specifically trained to handle feral cats with humane care. This program partnership’s success has earned a national reputation. Workshops have been presented at animal welfare conferences to educate other communities on beginning a similar program to meet their cat overpopulation issues.
If the City is unable to secure additional authority on the contract, the feral cat population will increase, contributing to the overpopulation and lead to a higher rates of common cat diseases such as panleukopenia, feline leukemia, zoonic diseases such as ringworm and rabies affecting the community.